Denplan

Family dentist replaces family doctor for over half of Brits

  • Almost six in ten (59%) Brits say they see the same dentist more consistently than they see the same GP according to leading dental plan specialist Denplan’s Oral Health Report.
  • The survey, released 31st October 2023, also finds considerable loyalty to dentists, with a quarter of respondents that visit the dentist (25%) staying with the same dentist for over 10 years and nearly one in ten (7%) for their entire life.
  • The data indicates dentists are playing a wider role in healthcare – with three in 10 (28%) asking their dentist about other health problems and 15% of respondents being referred to another health practitioner following their dental appointment.
  • Despite this, access to dentistry remains in crisis across the country with people struggling to access appointments.

New figures reveal six in ten (59%) Brits say they see the same dentist more consistently than they see the same GP, showing the vital role dentists play in people’s health and lives. 

The findings have been released by the leading dental plan specialist Denplan, part of Simplyhealth, in its annual Oral Healthcare Report, one of the most comprehensive reports into attitudes and habits in UK dentistry, surveying over 5,000 consumers in the UK who used both NHS and private dentists. Denplan has over 6,500 member dentists nationwide, caring for over 1.4 million patients.

The survey shows that a quarter (25%) of Brits that visit the dentist have seen the same dentist for the last ten years, with two-thirds (66%) of people reporting consistency meant they felt comfortable with their dentist and 91% of people who attend the dentist at least every two years saying it’s important to trust your dentist. 

Over half (51%) of people say their entire family all sees the same dentist. Six in ten (60%) say they would not consider changing dental practices because they want to keep their current dentist. 

Despite dentists’ valued role in society, the UK faces a crisis with people struggling to access dental services, with both Conservative and Labour governments acknowledging that further reform is needed on the current NHS dental contract.

With dentists being one of the more regular points of contact for patients, their role in wider health is apparent. The survey reveals three in ten (28%) have spoken to their dentist about other health problems and 15% of respondents have had dentists refer them to another health practitioner during their appointment. Of those that were referred, 20% were diagnosed with skin condition, 15% with iron-deficiency (anaemia), 10% with diabetes and a further 10% with a viral condition (e.g. herpes).

Denplan dentist Shamir Chandarana, Principal Dentist at Dental House, Sunbury-on-Thames said: “As a dentist, you’re privileged to have the chance to truly get to know patients and their families. Many of us have supported patients far beyond just their dental needs – whether being able to advise on common health conditions, simply listen to their current concerns, or refer them to another healthcare professional.

“At a time when GP appointments are increasingly difficult to come by, my colleagues and I have definitely noticed an uptick in wider healthcare questions – a role that would have traditionally been played by the family doctor. We can help to identify other health conditions, but then need to refer patients on for any symptoms to be managed properly.” 

The survey also identified that almost a third (32%) of people worry about the cost of going to a dentist, with over a third (34%) of respondents saying they have previously postponed or cancelled a dentist appointment because they could not afford it. However, healthcare professionals advocate taking a preventative approach to oral health and seeing a dentist for examinations rather than waiting until problems get worse.  

Those with a private dental payment plan set up said they’d chosen this option because it gave them peace of mind (30%) or helped them to be more proactive about their oral health (26%).

Whereas putting off going to the dentists could see people end up paying more for emergency dental treatment, those with a private payment plan said it helped spread the cost of their treatments (42%) and budget for dental costs (36%). 

Catherine Rutland, dentist and Clinical Director at Denplan, said: “Our survey demonstrates the vital role of the dentist in public life, with over a quarter (28%) of adults saying they have asked their dentist about problems other than their oral health and a majority (59%) saying they actually see the same dentist more often than their doctor.

“However, dentists are already stretched and this growing shift of the wider healthcare burden is indicative of the mounting pressure on health services.

“Dental services often play second fiddle to primary healthcare in policy, but they’re servicing the same communities with the same needs and identifying problems. To keep communities healthy, there needs to be a joined-up approach to the way that dentistry is viewed within healthcare and government.

“When considering how best to improve access to dentistry, we must not consider the reform of the NHS contract in isolation. We must also recognise the role of mixed and private practices in communities, and wider initiatives such as making better use of the wider dental team to carry out a range of services.” 

Case studies

Why you should be seeing your dentist, even if you have no teeth – Andrew Farr, Principal Dentist, Broad Street Dental Surgery, Hereford

“People should see their dentist at least once a year, and ideally every six months, even if they have no teeth. One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding dental care is that it’s solely about teeth. As a dentist I examine the entire mouth, gums, tongue, and even areas of the head and neck. 

“I have made several referrals for patients with skin lesions and one patient was treated for skin cancer of the nose. I also refer patients to their GP for low iron levels, or a suspected weak immune system due to tell-tale symptoms or the appearance of their mouth.”

“Unfortunately, I also see many patients with complex dental issues that cannot be treated, as by the time they come to the dentist their conditions have progressed beyond repair. Many of these are people who stopped trying to find a dental appointment during the pandemic and left their conditions untreated for several years. I’ve recently treated an individual in their early 30s who had nine teeth taken out as they had not seen a dentist for several years.”

It’s not right that two fillings cost the same as ten – Niki Keyhani, Principal Dentist, Horsham Dental Studio, Horsham, West Sussex 

“Seeing the dentist isn’t just about your teeth, but broader systemic health too. Financial and time constraints mean patients frequently leave their conditions untreated, on top of which many are worried about having to see a dentist due to phobias as well as cost. 

“In recent years I have been increasingly forced to remove teeth due to lack of adequate dental care. One emergency patient even had to miss work due to severe pain from toothache. The patient came to me privately after spending days trying to find a NHS appointment. 

“It is clear that NHS dentistry has major flaws, for instance, two fillings cost the same as ten, while root canal surgery is more expensive to the patient than taking a tooth out. This doesn’t promote oral maintenance and regular care – but rather the opposite. Unless things change, not only will we see staff leaving, and practices ditching NHS contracts, but many people are going to go without care.”

About the 2023 Denplan Oral Health Survey 

Between 30 June and 10 July 2023, Deltapoll surveyed a representative sample of 5,101 adults in Great Britain. 

Please refer to the Oral Healthcare Report from Denplan and Simplyhealth to see the data outlined in this release.

About Simplyhealth and Denplan

Simplyhealth is a leading healthcare company, committed to providing affordable healthcare, to support everybody’s everyday healthcare needs. Through our health and dental plans, including the market leading Denplan, we look after over two million customers. We aim to support and protect the NHS through the provision of outpatient support to help people live their best lives.

We don’t have shareholders and since 1872 we’ve been led by our purpose of improving access to healthcare, for all in the UK. We are changing the game, investing £60 million in new businesses to accelerate the development of predictive and preventative healthcare services. 

We understand our health depends on the health of our communities and our planet. Each year we commit to giving £1million to a range of community causes, in March 2022 we achieved Carbon Neutral + status for the second year and in 2022 we became the first Health Insurer to be awarded B Corp status.

To find out more, visit www.denplan.co.uk and www.simplyhealth.co.uk

Simplyhealth appoints new Denplan Product Director

Leading UK health solutions provider, Simplyhealth, has today announced the appointment of Quentin James as product director of its Denplan businesses.

Reporting to Katie Wadey, chief product and commercial officer, Quentin will have full accountability for the Denplan P&L in this newly created role.

Quentin is currently Director of Commercial Finance at Simplyhealth and will begin to assume his new responsibilities from early March. Prior to joining Simplyhealth he held a number of senior finance and commercial leadership roles at Virgin Media, Vodafone and Hitachi Capital.

Katie Wadey, chief product and commercial officer said: “2023 will be a pivotal year for Simplyhealth as we transform the business into a product-led healthcare solutions provider. Denplan exists to help both patients and dentists with private dental care, offering a range of dental payment plans to suit every oral health need and budget. Affordable access to dental care has become extremely relevant in the UK over the last few months as people have struggled to access dentistry on the NHS.”

Quentin James said; “Having worked for Simplyhealth for several years I’ve seen first hand how our purpose of improving access to healthcare for all has become increasingly relevant as more and more people struggle to find dental services. I look forward to working with our dentist partners to widen the access to good oral healthcare for people across the UK.”

Established in 1872, Simplyhealth is one of the UK’s leading health solutions businesses. Over the past 150 years it has built a solid reputation and dedicated community, offering affordable personal and corporate health plans.

Denplan parent company Simplyhealth announces £60 million venture capital fund to drive healthcare innovation

Simplyhealth, parent company of Denplan, has announced the launch of its Venture Capital fund, ‘Simplyhealth Ventures’. Over the next few years the fund will invest £60 million in UK-focused, early-stage healthcare businesses to accelerate the development and adoption of predictive and preventative healthcare solutions. These investments will support Simplyhealth’s overriding purpose to improve access to healthcare for all in the UK.

The UK has a long-held reputation for innovation, R&D and an entrepreneurial mindsight. Through its Venture Capital fund Simplyhealth wants to support the Government and UK economy in these challenging times, as well as broaden its products for its customers.

Marking the launch of this fund, Simplyhealth Ventures has announced an investment in Daye – a female founded gynaecological health company on a mission to raise standards in women’s health and to close the gender gap in medical research and innovation by creating convenient products and services for period pain, at-home STI testing and the treatment of vaginal infections. This funding is crucial in enabling Daye to progress its offering from menstruation to vaginal microbiome screening and beyond. In particular, it will allow Daye to launch the world’s first ever tampon-based at-home vaginal microbiome screening kit.

Professor Sneh Khemka, CEO of Simplyhealth said: “I am proud to launch Simplyhealth Ventures, which has been a focus of mine since I stepped into the CEO role last year. We’re investing in pioneering healthcare businesses in the HealthTech and MedTech sectors and have already made significant investments this year in predictive and preventative healthcare in the UK. 

“We strive to make healthcare accessible to all and I am excited that we can financially support innovative healthcare businesses through our fund, addressing challenges in the UK healthcare system. We are a purpose-driven company with no shareholders, so our profits go to fulfilling this purpose.”

Valentina Milanova, Founder of Daye, comments: “We have ambitious plans to ensure women’s health is treated with the importance it deserves, and we are delighted to have Simplyhealth join us on that journey. This funding will support Daye’s growth and the launch of the UK’s first tampon-based at-home vaginal microbiome screening kit, making vaginal testing more accessible, easy to use, and even more accurate.  

“Simplyhealth’s investment will also enable us to build a comprehensive platform for gynae health, giving more women and AFAB individuals valuable insights into their bodies.”

Simplyhealth Ventures has already invested in two innovative HealthTech start-ups. In May, the fund took a majority stake in Ocuplan, the country’s leading provider of plans to support those with chronic eye conditions. This was followed by an investment in Ampersand, a digital therapeutics platform for chronic inflammatory conditions.

Established in 1872, Simplyhealth is one of the UK’s leading health solutions businesses. Over the past 150 years it has built a solid reputation and dedicated community, offering affordable, personal and corporate health plans. To find out more, click here.

Better career pathways are needed for young dentists, argues Denplan’s Next Gen group

Amid concerns of widespread workforce shortages and pressures in dentistry, Denplan’s inaugural Next Gen group of young dentists have today published a policy report setting out the key steps that need to be taken to attract and retain the best new talent in the profession.

The group warn that all dentists face considerable pressures at work and that the pandemic has worsened the prevalence of mental health issues in the sector. As a result, many young dentists have left, or are planning to leave, the profession.

To address this, the report puts forward seven recommendations aimed at policymakers, regulators, and NHS bodies alike to urge them to drive forward positive change to better support the next generation of dentists – before it is too late.

Key recommendations include calls on the Government and NHS bodies to promote better career pathways for young dentists, as well as to work with the sector to safeguard the profession and ensure the workforce is resilient, supported, and engaged.

Next Gen member Niki Keyhani, Principal Dentist at Horsham Dental Studio, said: “I am passionate about my work, but the days are often long and without much break. I love what I do, but with the current demands and responsibilities on dentists, I am not surprised my profession feels the need for reform.”

Niki Keyhani

The report also expresses concern that, despite the prevalence of private and mixed dental practices in the UK, many policymakers do not understand the important distinction between the different types of practices that operate across the country. Significantly, the Department of Health and Social Care is yet to recognise or identify a role for private dentistry, and this did not feature in last year’s ‘Integration and innovation’ White Paper.

As a result, the young dentists warn, these misunderstandings about mixed and private dentistry have filtered down to the public and dentists often find that their patients do not understand which treatments they are and are not entitled to on the NHS.

The report also highlights common misconceptions that private treatment is expensive and purely cosmetic yet, in reality, most private practice business models are based around ongoing regular preventive oral care for families.

To tackle this, the report calls on the Government and NHS bodies to lead a public education campaign to emphasise the importance of oral health and give clarity about the scope of NHS dental care. Giving mixed and private dentists representation on Integrated Care Boards would help too, suggests the report.

Dr Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Denplan, said: “Denplan’s first Next Gen group represent the very best of our industry – bright and aspiring young dentists that have the potential to become future industry leaders.

Catherine Rutland

“I welcome the work that they have done in creating this report, and I look forward to bringing together policymakers, regulators, and industry colleagues to address the important challenges that they have raised in it to help safeguard the future of the profession.”

To find out more, visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk

To download the report, visit www.denplan.co.uk/the-core/industry-and-company-news/next-gen-policy-report

Simplyhealth becomes Certified B Corporation

The UK’s leading health and dental plan provider Simplyhealth, the parent company of Denplan, is the first Health Insurer to be awarded B Corp status, in recognition of its significant achievements in sustainability, in addition to ambitious future environmental and social responsibility goals.

To become a certified B Corporation (a for-profit company dedicated to using business as a force for good), companies must commit to achieving high standards of social and environmental performance. To qualify, companies must achieve a minimum verified score of 80 points on the ‘B Impact Assessment’ which measures impact on workers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Simplyhealth achieved 91.9 points.

Environmental highlights include:

  • Working with Carbon Footprint Ltd to achieve Carbon Neutral + status – with the goal of reaching net zero by 2030
  • Increasing the company’s recycling rate to 76%, with remaining waste incinerated for energy recovery
  • A dedicated Sustainability Committee – focussed on achieving sustainability across all levels of the business and accountable for the delivery of the company’s wider sustainability plan

In addition, the company has rolled out an ‘All Together Healthier’ programme, which has initiated electric car charging points and improved bike sheds to encourage employees to travel sustainably. Plus, LED lighting, waterless urinals, tiles made from 100% green energy and fully circular recycled materials have been installed across all Simplyhealth offices. The company also upcycles, recycles, or donates used work surfaces, office furniture and computers, to support the local community.

Dr Sneh Khemka, CEO of Simplyhealth, said: “At Simplyhealth, we’ve always stood for a healthier world and are under no illusion that action is required for this to happen. Our health depends on the health of our planet – which is why we are honoured to be recognised as a B Corp certified company for doing our part.

“We are incredibly proud to have achieved a high score in our B Impact Assessment which measured our impact on workers, suppliers, community and the environment – but we are not done. We will continue to challenge ourselves to do more for the planet, including building towards Carbon Neutral + status – with the goal of reaching net zero by 2030.

Today, there are over 5,000 Certified B Corporations across 83 countries and 153 industries, unified by a shared belief that business can be a benefit for the world and the people who live in it.

Please contact simplyhealth@tinmancomms.com for further details. 

The Oral Health Foundation and Denplan launch Mouth Cancer Action Charter to Parliament

The Oral Health Foundation and Denplan launched their Mouth Cancer Action Charter at a face-to-face event in the Houses of Parliament earlier this week. Members of Parliament, ministers and dental and health professionals were invited along to sign the Charter and demonstrate their support for its policy recommendations.

The Mouth Cancer Charter has been created to coincide with November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month – the UK’s biggest charity campaign for mouth cancer awareness. The campaign calls for more people to be mouthaware by being able to recognise and act on any unusual changes to the mouth.

The Oral Health Foundation and Denplan are concerned that mouth cancer referrals have significantly fallen over the pandemic period, while awareness of the major signs and symptoms of mouth cancer is very low. According to results from a recent MP survey, only 27% of MPs felt they were as well informed of the causes and symptoms of mouth cancer as they are of other leading cancers.[1]

Dr Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Denplan, part of Simplyhealth said: “We’ve worked together with the Oral Health Foundation for over 20 years on the Mouth Cancer Action Campaign, but we wanted to go one step further this year by spreading the mouth cancer awareness messages further and wider into the corridors of Westminster.”

“Mouth cancer referrals will have been significantly reduced due to the Covid pandemic restrictions last year and delays have been incurred by the dental backlog and access to NHS dentistry remaining difficult in certain areas. We urge the Government to consider these mouth cancer policy interventions. The longer the delay to implement these changes, the more lives could be lost to mouth cancer as possible cases go undetected. Top of the policy recommendation list is that we are calling on the Government to fund a public health awareness campaign on the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer.”

Recent research conducted by the Oral Health Foundation and Denplan shows that four-in-five UK adults have never been exposed to public health messaging around mouth cancer, leading to poor awareness of the early warning signs and risk factors[2].

Dr Rutland said: “If people can easily recognise the risk factors and what to look out for in terms of changes in their mouth, health professionals will also be able to catch cases earlier. Late diagnosis of mouth cancer is becoming all too common and this will have a severe effect on a person’s quality of life and their chances of survival.”

The Charter proposes that GP’s, pharmacists, care home and nursing staff should all be given enhanced training or further information about how to look out for signs and symptoms of mouth cancer to further improve early detection. Spotting signs early can increase someone’s chances of survival from 50% to 90%.

Sir Paul Beresford and Dr Nigel Carter OBE

Commenting on the policy recommendations proposed in the Charter, Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation said: “If these mouth cancer policy changes were put into action we could drive down case numbers and save the government a significant amount of money in oral cancer treatment costs.  In England, the cost of head and neck cancer treatment was £309m in 2010-11[3] and since then case numbers of mouth cancer have grown by around 67%.” 

The Mouth Cancer Action Charter highlights the following policy areas for change:

  1. Conduct a government funded public health awareness campaign of the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer.
  2. Improve access to routine dentistry to detect mouth cancers earlier and save lives.
  3. Enable enhanced training of GPs to identify suspected mouth cancers and change the NICE guidelines so that more cases can be referred to secondary care.
  4. Improve training programmes for healthcare staff to look for signs of mouth cancer.
  5. Introduce free dental check-ups and treatment for mouth cancer patients to end the unfair financial burden placed on them.
  6. Support the development of better technology to diagnose mouth cancers.

One of the key points in the mouth cancer charter is about the development of better technology to diagnose mouth cancers. During the pandemic, it has become more evident that innovation, data and technology are helping to make dentistry safer, faster and more accessible.

The use of technology in diagnostics is also becoming more important. Denplan and the Oral Health Foundation are proposing that with the support from NHSX a mobile app could be developed that would enable patients to share photographs of their mouth lesions which would then be reviewed within a short space of time by a consultant.

In addition to politicians and ministers, the Oral Health Foundation and Denplan are also asking dental professionals and other healthcare professionals to show their support and sign the Charter at www.dentalhealth.org/mouth-cancer-action-charter. More information on mouth cancer can be found on the website and by following the campaign on social media via #MouthCancerAction.

References:

[1] YouGov completed online interviews with a representative sample of 103 MPs.   The survey was completed between 6th and 28th September 2021;

[2] The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers – RWB. All surveys were conducted between 6th October 2021 and 8th October 2021. The sample comprised 2,008 UK adults

[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28734109/

Denplan pledges to invest in providing dental services to those most in need

Denplan, part of Simplyhealth, is delighted to announce a new partnership with Dentaid, to improve access to vital oral healthcare provision to those most in need around the UK.

 

The UK’s leading dental payment plan provider will be working closely with Dentaid, a charity that works to improve oral health in the UK and overseas for the next 12 months and our investment means the charity can create and safeguard up to 25 mobile ‘Denplan Outreach Clinics’ for homeless and vulnerable people across the UK.

These clinics are vital at a time when government reports are showing an increasing inequality in access to healthcare.

 

Denplan will also be supporting an extension to Dentaid’s BrightBites, an oral health education scheme which teaches children about the importance of looking after their teeth. With Government statistics showing an estimated cost of £33 million for hospital admissions in 0–19-year-olds for tooth extractions due to tooth decay this is an increasingly important area of focus.* Denplan’s support will specifically enable Dentaid to develop education materials for pre-school aged children and their parents/carers.

 

Catherine Rutland, Denplan’s Clinical Director comments: “I know the huge difference Dentaid’s mobile clinics makes to the clients they treat; people who otherwise may not have the opportunity to see a dentist. I’m so pleased that through our support the charity can provide an additional 25 clinics that will specifically target the most vulnerable in our society enabling them to access the oral healthcare they need.

“I’m also pleased that Denplan is supporting the BrightBites early years oral health programme because we know that ensuring a child has the best start to their dental care can have a significant influence on their oral health for life. As dentists, we’re also very aware of the high levels of dental issues in children and know we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of teaching children about good oral health at the earliest opportunity.”

Andy Evans Dentaid CEO adds: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Denplan.  This will enable us to provide outreach dental care for more of the most vulnerable people in our society. Thanks to Denplan we will be able to send our mobile dental units to new locations where volunteers will provide dental treatments for people experiencing homelessness. We’ll also be able to help other hard-to-reach groups who are living with the misery of untreated toothache. Since the pandemic, demand for our work has soared and our help is needed more than ever.

“Furthermore, we’ll be able to work with Denplan to develop our BrightBites oral health education programme for early years. Sadly, a quarter of children have dental decay by the time they start school, with children in areas of higher deprivation more likely to be suffering. Through our contacts and charity partners we plan to teach children and their families about the importance of dental health to improve their chances of having a healthy smile.”

All Dentaid’s clinics are staffed by dental industry volunteers and they are always on the lookout for more people to support their work of providing emergency dental treatment for those in need. For more information, or to volunteer, contact ukclinics@dentaid.org.

 

Denplan is continuing to ensure that every day, every decision we make, and every action – big or small – not only helps improve the health of our company, customers and communities, but also the health of everyone and everything we hold dear. For more information about our community impact, visit parent company Simplyhealth’s website: www.simplyhealth.co.uk/about-us/community-impact

 *source Hospital tooth extractions of 0 to 19 year olds – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Denplan announces launch of ‘Next Generation Dental Group’

Denplan, part of Simplyhealth, has invited a group of nine young Denplan member dentists (under the age of 35) to join a new Next Gen Dental Group. Over the course of the 12-month programme, Denplan will offer group members mentoring, professional leadership development and the chance to establish a like-minded network that can be called upon for advice and support. The aim is to help foster a new generation of leaders in the dental sector and provide opportunities they might not otherwise have access to in their normal clinical setting. 

Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Denplan and chair of the Next Gen Dental Group, says: “Denplan is committed to raising the profile of private dentists in policy-making, by advocating on their behalf and improving the understanding of dentistry more generally within government. Our new Next Gen Dental Group aims to provide the younger age group with an opportunity to start shaping dentistry policy agenda from the beginning of their careers.

“We’re working collaboratively with the group to refine our one-year programme, so that the key focus areas really meet their needs. During our initial meeting, we had invaluable discussions informed by the groups’ experiences around mentoring, career support and regulation of private practices. Together, we’re looking at the best ways to support young and upcoming dentists, as well as how we can continue to effectively highlight ongoing issues affecting the profession to government.”

Denplan is delighted to welcome the following members to the Next Gen Dental Group; Richard Alexander at Greenlaw Dental Care, Shamir Chandarana at Dental House, Gareth Crowther at Brynhyfryd Dental, Andrew Farr at Broad Street Dental, Veeren Gupta at Ferndale House Dental, Niki Keyhani at Horsham Dental Studio, Alice Martin at Lowen Dental Spa, Harbinder Singh-Dewgun at Lion House Dental Practice and Buckingham Dental, and Catherine Turner at The Walton Practice.

Charlie Unwin

The second meeting, held at the end of August, will focus on mentoring and Denplan will kickstart the programme with a formal session to understand individuals’ mentoring requirements. Guest speaker and former Team GB performance psychologist Charlie Unwin will also be joining to help members reflect on their experiences of being practice/small business owners. Previously, Charlie has applied his past experience and learning about the principles of human performance and psychology in working with global organisations, Olympic athletes, Premier League football teams and businesses to help them achieve their own performance aspirations.

The Next Gen Dental Group initiative aims to continue pushing private dentistry to the front of the debate about the future of healthcare, ensuring the voices of those working within the private dental sector – in particular, future young leaders – are heard. Its formation follows the publication of Denplan’s white paper on the future of dentistry, released in Spring this year. This extensive report covers a wide range of issues that Denplan continues to highlight and put on the agenda of government, policy makers and the wider dental profession.

 

Simplyhealth Survey suggests confusion around healthcare and dental plans as up to 84% overestimate monthly cost

The subscription economy is booming, with almost four out of five (79%) adults in the UK signed up to at least one, spending on average £475 a year. Yet, while 96% of people say they are now focused on their holistic health, only 13% reported paying monthly for health benefits that could help them with everyday wellness, according to a recent survey conducted by Simplyhealth.

As one of the UK’s leading health solutions companies, Simplyhealth carried out the survey of 2000 people, aged between 16 and 82, to investigate how Covid-19 has impacted views on mental and physical health, subscriptions and spending habits.1 Findings suggest that the popularity of paying monthly for services and products is here to stay, with 1 in 5 (22%) admitting to signing up to even more during the pandemic. This upward trend was particularly prevalent in younger age groups, with almost a third (31%) of 16-44-year-olds increasing their subscription services as opposed to just 13% of those over 55.

Most popular – and where most money is spent – is entertainment; half (50%) of respondents reported paying monthly for video streaming services, followed by music and audio streaming (27%). Furthermore, 18% of people reported having food, drink and beauty subscriptions. Yet, only 13% of people reported paying monthly for life insurance, or a health or dental plan that could help them with everyday wellness, and just 12% said that they had subscriptions for fitness or wellbeing apps.

A focus on health

This is surprising given that 96% of survey respondents stated they remain focused on their holistic health, with almost half saying that the pandemic has made them care more about both their mental and physical wellbeing (44% and 45%, respectively). Again, this trend was noticeably higher in younger age groups – 53% of 16-24-year-olds said they now care more about their mental health, dropping to 37% in the 55+ category. However, the survey also showed that while 63% believed that they were aware or very aware of the benefits of health and dental plans, 45% overestimated how much dental plans can cost and 84% overestimated how much health plans can cost – some by more than 10 times as much.

Commenting on these findings, Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Simplyhealth, says: “Covid-19 has made us reassess many things we previously took for granted, drastically reshaping the agenda around health and wellness. It’s encouraging to see that so many people, particularly those in younger age groups, are remaining focused on their overall health, but it’s surprising that relatively few pay monthly premiums for plans that can help support and maintain this. In fact, in our experience, healthcare plans can really benefit younger, working adults with busy lives who value the convenience and cost certainty they provide.

“Our survey suggests that there are misunderstandings around healthcare plans, in terms of both costs and benefits. Rather than cover for medical conditions, health plans are designed to provide fast, accessible support for everyday health concerns. Looking after your wellbeing isn’t always easy at the moment, so it’s really important that people are fully aware of the different options open to them and their families, and the benefits these can provide.”

For more information on the results from the survey, including more information on health and dental plans, visit Simplyhealth’s blog: www.simplyhealth.co.uk/subscriptions-and-your-health

Denplan launches a new series of Expert Network webinars

Denplan has launched its Denplan Expert Network  webinar series which will include a total of 8 evening sessions from 7-8pm up until the end of September. All webinars will also be made available to view on demand. The webinars are an opportunity for all dentists to learn from and collaborate with four different specialist advisors – all with extensive knowledge and experience of the dental sector. 

The webinar series targets the core business areas that Denplan dentists told us would have the widest level of training appeal to them.  The four most popular non-clinical training areas revealed by the Denplan survey were; legal aspects of being in practice (56%), managing dentists’ own pensions (51%), HR and employee wellbeing advice (48%) and Accounts and Tax (46%)[1].

The webinars will cover the following topics:

  • How to plan effectively for retirement (Chase de Vere)
  • Dental market evaluation summer 2021 (Lily Head)
  • An insight into the different ways of contracting with individuals (Knights plc)
  • Tax implications and employee benefits (Lovewell Blake)
  • How to maximise your practice value (Lily Head)
  • Managing your personal finances (Chase de Vere)
  • Exit strategies (Chase de Vere)
  • Mental health and wellbeing in the workplace (Knights plc)

Dr Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Denplan, part of Simplyhealth, says: “Over many years, Denplan has built up a network of connections with professional firms who operate within the dental sector. The value they can bring to a dental practice, in terms of practical business advice, derives from their sharp focus on the dental industry.  After conducting some in depth research with our membership, we identified a clear need for more training in the areas of legal, tax, HR and employee wellbeing advice, and planning for retirement.  I’m delighted we are able to bring these expert partners together for a series of virtual events where I’m sure dentists will feel informed and engaged by the topics covered and will welcome the chance to ask practical questions on real and current practice and business challenges.”

Dentists can sign up and view the full programme and dates at DEN Webinars.  Further information can be obtained by emailing eventsandtraining@simplyhealth.co.uk.

[1] Dentists were asked to rate their interest in learning more about a range of topics proposed by partners and training and about their preferred learning method. Nov – Dec 2020; 215 responses from dentists.